#also s/o to tofukitten who got to see me live post my experience through DMs cause I needed to scream

[lozchic3]

Temenos Chapter 3: Stormhail Route

Structurally an emotionally charged chapter like Castti's Chapter 3. In terms of the mystery involved with Temenos' story, this one actually zagged too quickly and made it feel highly suspect on the conclusion at the end. There's a ton of elements here where I hope by the final chapter things come together and really hold it as a stellar story.

In terms of the boss fight, can be difficult based on the mechanic going on. But definitely a lighter version of the kind of ramped up difficulty the game has slowly been introducing with both chapter and optional bosses. If anything it feels like an early forewarning that some of the final chapter bosses will get busy with both mechanics going forward.

Story wise.... I'm torn.

I think Crick's reveal as being from a corrupt aristocratic household and wanting to make a difference through the sacred guard works as a perfect foil to Temenos. It shows perfectly that the doubtful and stern inquisitor is just a cloak to hide the type of soft and vulnerable heart he has underneath the sarcasm.

Crick's death also serves as the final nail of whatever belief Temenos. Not for the church but I'd argue for any sort of belief in anyone at this point. The fact he's clinging to the idea of Kaldena being the true mastermind is just an off branch of this. He doesn't really seek the truth anymore as much as he tells himself. I think what he truly wants is justice and peace from losing so much along the way.

For that matter...

I don't think Kaldena is the true mastermind. It feels off versus the actual pieces in play since chapter 1. So let's review real quick

Chapter 1: The Pontiff had requested an investigation of Temenos but was interrupted by Mindt suddenly appearing. He told Temenos to meet with him by evening at his quarters. After which he met with the theologian Lucian before retiring to the cathedral. When Temenos left with Crick, a newly annointed sacred guard he discovered that the Pontiff was murdered. and hidden at the sight of the murder was a phrase from the Book of the Night.

Chapter 2: Temenos travels to Canalbrine because Lucian has become a key person of interest due to the Pontiff's murder. As Temenos goes to meet with him, he discovers that Lucian has been murdered in his home and with the same words from the Book of the Night the Pontiff had left as well. Ontop of that, Temenos deduces that the murderer is Vados the architecture who did know of the secret passageway into the Cathedral. He gets arrested by Captain Kaldena of the Sacred Guard and assigns Crick to escort Vados to their headquarters in Stormhail. Temenos with Crick's help is allowed an interrogation of Vados but decides to visit Crackridge first since the Fellsun Ruins was of interest to Lucian before he was murdered.

Chapter 3, Crackridge route: Temenos goes to Crackridge which most of the elders are actually hidden Moonshade Order members who want to kill him. They set one of their members after him, a woman named Reiza who pretends to be helpless and needs help. Temenos plays along and takes her down the abandoned path where she feigns desires until Temenos drops it. After a brief confrontation, Reiza willingly shows the location of the ruins. In the ruins Temenos learns that the Fellsun Ruins were actually the location of the Kal, a tribe meant to protect the sacred flame but were killed by the Moonshade Order. Their survivor, Vados vows to use the Moonshade Order to seek revenge and use the ritual of the night. After leaving the ruins, Reiza explains she knows what happens and wishes to die for such a sinful act. Temenos tells her to live and repent before departing for Stormhail now knowing there's the same line from the Book of the Night uttered within the ruins.

and right now.... Chapter 3, Stormhail Route: Temenos and Crick discover that Vados has been killed and there's no records of him being held in the headquarters. After Temenos retires for the night, Crick continues his investigation and is allegedly killed by the Captain of the order, Kaldena. Temenos discovers this in the morning and finds the same words of the Book of the Night crumbled in Crick's hand. He uses his unique ability to follow Crick's trail and discovers a hidden archieve of forbidden tomes where he's confronted by Deputy Cubaryi who claims Crick was personally killed by the captain for knowing too much. After fighting Cubaryi and attending Crick's funeral at a distance, he vows to go to the Nameless Village the location where the sacred flame was taken from the Kal and stop Kaldena.

...

So with that in mind, it's hard for me to see an MO for Captain Kaldena unless like Vados she was a hidden member of the Moonshade Order. And even if she was a hidden member, I still can't fathom what the MO could be.

What the information does show is that the church has been hiding the truth of the Kal for years and that someone doesn't just want to keep the truth hidden. So much as they're manipulating the events to hide the true motive. If this all goes back to Vide then I think Kaldena isn't the true mastermind but someone else in the Moonshade Order who is a keen manipulator pulling everyone to do their bidding.

and arguably, they might also be toying with Temenos personally to make him suffer for some odd reason. Which leads me back to this: when did Temenos send Mindt a letter and how did Mindt know to send a letter to him in Stormhail?

I don't trust her.